How We Work

Our Mission

“To bring human actions into balance with ecological principles so that the health and abundance of Maui’s nearshore waters can be restored and sustained for future generations.”

Celebrating 11 years, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a respected Maui-based nonprofit organization recognized for our ability to work in partnership with the community toward our vision of clean ocean water, healthy coral reefs and thriving native fish.

Celebrating 11 years of making a difference

Founded in 2007, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is dedicated to all of Maui Nui -- the area encompassing the islands of Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe.

Local & Community Based

We bring together a broad base of the community to create lasting solutions to the most challenging problems impacting our near shore ocean environments.

From Mountains to Sea

Many problems facing local reefs originate on land, which is why our projects and programs work from mountains (mauka) to sea (makai).

Science-Based Action

We work with current scientific data to ensure that the solutions we create are science based and effective.

Our History

The story of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council begins in 2007. Our beautiful coral reefs were in significant decline. Native fish that once populated our local reefs were becoming scarce. Sediment and pollution clouded our nearshore ocean waters.

Our Unique Approach

Because so many of the problems impacting our reefs begin on land, we work from mountains (mauka) to sea (makai) to enact smart, sustainable solutions.

Community supported

We bring together a broad base of the community to work with us, including ocean-users (fishers, divers, snorkelers, swimmers, beach-goers and commercial operators), individuals, organizations, property owners, as well as local, state and national government.

Science-based solutions

Working with current scientific data and acting in concert with traditional Hawaiian values, we develop and implement effective, science-based solutions to challenging environmental problems.

Our Values

We are guided by these traditional Hawaiian principles in all of our actions and interactions with others.

ALOHA

Honesty, compassion

KŌKUA

To care for the land, sea, our islands, and each other

MĀLAMA

To take care of things properly

HO`OMANAWANUI

patience

Meet Our People

Our small staff and more than 100 volunteers work together under the guidance of our all-volunteer Board of Directors.

Our History

The story of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council begins in 2007. Our beautiful coral reefs were in significant decline. Native fish that once populated our local reefs were becoming scarce. Sediment and pollution clouded our nearshore ocean waters.

Marine biologist Robin Newbold and community visionary Uncle Ed Lindsey were alarmed at the deterioration they saw. They recognized that while climate change threatens coral reefs worldwide, many of the other serious problems facing Maui County’s reefs originate on land, including sedimentation, run-off, overfishing and outdated wastewater management methods.

To fight these problems, the two brought local people together to collaborate, create and implement real solutions.

They convened an all-volunteer “council” that included representatives from a wide sector of the community including fishers, scientists, educators, cultural practitioners, ocean tourism business representatives and representatives of federal, state and local management agencies. The council met regularly to discuss and act on issues relating to our near shore ocean environment.

To specifically address issues threatening our reefs, MNMRC created the Maui Coral Reef Recovery Team (LINK) and the Maui Coral Recovery Plan (LINK), the first of its kind in the state.

This approach inspired the formation of Community Managed Maka’i (CMMA) areas, in which local residents work together to manage their marine resources.

It also resulted in the creation of our volunteer citizen-based ocean water quality testing program, Hui O Ka Wai Ola, formed in partnershp with The Nature Conservancy and West Maui Ridge to Reef.

These projects continue today. Many of our original council representatives continue to support our mission as advisors, supporters and members of our Coral Reef Recovery Team.

Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation is US tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.